Make Changes Differently

If you’re planning to make changes to your nutrition and exercise habits this year, I have something for you to think about:

Changing habits can be difficult. Exercising and changing your diet because you’re trying to fix something about yourself that you don’t like can be difficult and painful.

When you try to change because you dislike

something about yourself, you link exercise and healthy food to negative thoughts. Eventually, your healthy choices become associated with pain and displeasure whether you’re aware of it or not.

If negative self-thought is how you motivate yourself to get healthier, you’re not alone. And yet, I encourage you to try to do things a little differently this year.

Exercise for the love of you. Eat to be good to yourself.

Here’s a simple way to start this new way of thinking:

What part of your body do you get down about?

What exactly do you say to yourself about it? Tread lightly here; these thoughts can be a little shocking when you face them straight on for the first time.

What can you say to yourself that’s opposite, positive and true about this physical part of you? If this is too difficult for you right now, think of a different part of your body that you can say something positive about. (Stick to the first thing that comes to mind.)